Those bastards of war

Book 38 Page 31

Those bastard leaders of war,

with their rhetoric fine,

and intellects sharpened

and hearts blind.

“Follow me” they proclaim,

and we do, like following a bouncing ball.

As soldiers line up by their thousands

to carry out those fanatical bastards call.

And they declare righteousness;

“united we fight / united we fight the evil enemy,

all in the name of liberty / and truth / and justice,”

as they always omit to say,

“and also in the name of ‘me!’”

So onward the soldiers march,

to give up their lives and their very best.

Following their corrupt leader

who has also managed to manipulate

their very corrupt press.

And it’s as though the corrupt leader has waved an

orchestra baton to start a ‘war song.’

And so before to long there are dead and wounded

and more dead and wounded until one day;

a crowds of ordinary people shout,

“Stop!”

And then “what shall become of that corrupt leader” you may ask?

O! if he is lucky (as he often is,) he shall go on to live another day,

for it is not usually ‘he’ who pays.

And alas, I think he knew this all along.